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(image source: Daniel Schmidt)

Apple iPhone Air review – The thinnest smartphone packs a ton of power

Slim but expensive.

With the iPhone Air, Apple is offering the thinnest smartphone you can currently get your hands on. In terms of the price, it is positioned somewhere between the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro. Our review reveals how many compromises were necessary in the pursuit of slimness.
Daniel Schmidt, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Andrew Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
5G Apple iOS iPhone Touchscreen Smartphone

Verdict - iPhone Air

The iPhone Air impressed us with its ultra-thin design and premium build quality, but the slim design comes at a cost: the battery, camera and sound can only be described as mediocre, while the high price and the lack of features such as USB 3.2 and dual speakers spoil the overall impression.

Users for whom design and portability are of primary concern will find this a stylish lifestyle device, but power users and camera enthusiasts are better served by Pro models. Overall, the Air remains a bold design choice with noticeable compromises, impressing us more with its form than its function.

Pros

+ thin and lightweight design
+ high-level performance
+ IP68 certified
+ bright and accurate display

Cons

- only one camera
- only USB 2.0
- mediocre battery life
- PWM dimming

Price and availability

The iPhone Air comes in every color and storage variant from Apple, but is unavailable on Amazon at the time of this review.

The Apple iPhone Air is the first of its kind and comes in three storage variants:

Storage Price
256 GB $999
512 GB $1,199
1,024 GB $1,399

With the RRP only $100 below that of the iPhone 17 Pro, our review highlights which compromises had to be made. The Air is also Apple's first iPhone in Europe to forgo nano-SIM support in favor of battery life.

Specifications: Apple iPhone Air

Apple iPhone Air (iPhone 17 Series)
Processor
Apple A19 Pro 6 x 2.6 - 4.3 GHz
Graphics adapter
Apple A19 Pro 5-Core GPU
Memory
12 GB 
, LPDDR5x
Display
6.50 inch 19.54:9, 2736 x 1260 pixel 463 PPI, Capacitive Touchscreen, OLED, Super Retina XDR, Anti-reflective coating, Ceramic Shield 2, glossy: yes, HDR, 120 Hz
Storage
Apple 512GB NVMe, 512 GB 
, 480.75 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: USB-C, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Baromater, Gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity, Dual ambient light, Face ID, OTG, Thread, UWB (Gen. 2)
Networking
802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz be = Wi-Fi 7), Bluetooth 6.0, 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), LTE (Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 8, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66), 5G-Sub6 (Band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 5.64 x 156.2 x 74.7 ( = 0.22 x 6.15 x 2.94 in)
Battery
12.26 Wh, 3149 mAh Lithium-Ion, 3.894 V, MagSafe, Qi2, Battery Cycles: 1000
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Apple iOS 26
Camera
Primary Camera: 48 MPix (26 mm, f/1.6, sensor-shift optical image stabilization)
Secondary Camera: 18 MPix (Center Stage camera, f/1.9, AF)
Additional features
Speakers: Mono, USB-C-Cabel, 12 Months Warranty, Bluetooth Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC | Dual-Band-GNSS: GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | HDR: HLG, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision | Dual-eSIM | IP68 | USB Copy Test: 34.05 MB/s (connected to Samsung Portable SSD T7 (USB 3.2 Gen. 2), Supported File Systems for external storages: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, APFS, APFS (encrypted), macOS Extended (HFS+) | Body-SAR: 1.49 W/kg, Head-SAR: 1.49 W/kg | max. charging speed: 20 W (wired) / 20 W (wireless), fanless, waterproof
Weight
165 g ( = 5.82 oz / 0.36 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1449 Euro
Links
Apple homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - The iPhone Air uses titanium and Ceramic Shield

The iPhone Air is defined by its slim design, making it Apple's thinnest smartphone to date. It has a nominal thickness of 5.64 mm, and this is something we can confirm from our measurements. Add to that a substantial bump (+2.96 mm) and the camera mounted on top (an additional +2.7 mm), resulting in a thickness of 11.3 mm at its thickest point. However, at 165 g, the iPhone Air is comparatively light.

Apple has used a highly polished titanium alloy for the frame. It might look sleek, but it's correspondingly prone to fingerprints. The front uses Ceramic Shield 2 protective glass, while the back still uses the older, first-generation version. Despite its slim design, the Air is very robust and resists twisting attempts in a silent manner. The build quality is excellent, boasting tight and consistent gaps, and we were also impressed by its 89% screen-to-body ratio.

The iPhone Air is waterproof up to a depth of six meters in accordance with IP68, and comes in the following colors: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold and Sky Blue, with our review device sporting the latter color. However, depending on the angle of the light, it can also appear more white than blue.

(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)
(image source: Daniel Schmidt)

Size comparison

❌
161.2 mm / 6.35 in 73 mm / 2.87 in 8.2 mm / 0.3228 in 186 g0.4101 lbs158.2 mm / 6.23 in 75.6 mm / 2.98 in 5.8 mm / 0.2283 in 163 g0.3594 lbs156.2 mm / 6.15 in 74.7 mm / 2.94 in 5.64 mm / 0.222 in 165 g0.3638 lbs150 mm / 5.91 in 71.9 mm / 2.83 in 8.8 mm / 0.3465 in 206 g0.4542 lbs148 mm / 5.83 in 105 mm / 4.13 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Features - Only USB 2.0 for the iPhone Air

Just like the iPhone 17, the Air also only supports USB 2.0, which doesn't allow for video output. Data transfer is therefore predictably slow.

Apart from that, the Air's Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, UWB, and Wi-Fi 7 make it on par with the Pro model.

iPhone Air (left) next to the iPhone 16 Pro Max (image source: Daniel Schmidt)
iPhone Air (left) next to the iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone Air (left) next to the iPhone 16 Pro Max (image source: Daniel Schmidt)

Software - Pared back Apple Intelligence for Europe

The iPhone Air ships with Apple iOS 26, which is identical to the version found on other 2025 iPhones.

Apple hasn't made any concrete statements regarding the provision of updates, but we can assume it to be for at least five years, and even a minimum of six years if you take the new EU guidelines into account.

Sustainability

Apple provides detailed information regarding the sustainability of its products, and this is no different with the Air model. It comes in plastic-free packaging and also participates in the self-repair program.

Communication and GNSS - The iPhone has Wi-Fi 7

The iPhone Air has broad frequency support for cellular networks and should be able to establish connections almost anywhere in the world. Reception is good in urban areas.

It features Wi-Fi 7, the latest Wi-Fi standard, which supports all three bands. Paired with our reference router, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000, it delivered stable data speeds, although the 6 GHz band could be a touch faster when receiving data.

Networking
Apple iPhone Air
802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
903 (min: 652) MBit/s ∼96%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
739 (min: 702) MBit/s ∼69%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1661 (min: 1520) MBit/s ∼89%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1281 (min: 1244) MBit/s ∼81%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
898 (min: 453) MBit/s ∼96%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
810 (min: 798) MBit/s ∼75%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1870 (min: 1828) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1500 (min: 1463) MBit/s ∼95%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
834 (min: 647) MBit/s ∼89%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
824 (min: 780) MBit/s ∼77%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1667 (min: 1563) MBit/s ∼89%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1216 (min: 1179) MBit/s ∼77%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
990 (min: 879) MBit/s ∼53%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1574 (min: 1183) MBit/s ∼100%
Average 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be
 
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
938 (min: 595) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1074 (min: 459) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1277 (min: 508) MBit/s ∼68%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1471 (min: 719) MBit/s ∼93%
Average of class Smartphone
 
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
707 (min: 49.8) MBit/s ∼75%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
734 (min: 52) MBit/s ∼68%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1327 (min: 508) MBit/s ∼71%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1390 (min: 451) MBit/s ∼88%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400145015001550160016501700175018001850Tooltip
Apple iPhone Air 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1661 (1520-1688)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1870 (1828-1899)
Apple iPhone Air 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1281 (1244-1302)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1499 (1463-1524)
Apple iPhone Air 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø903 (652-956)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø883 (453-928)
Apple iPhone Air 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø738 (702-770)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø808 (798-819)

The iPhone Air determines its position using dual-band GNSS with all major satellite networks. Location tracking is quite fast, but in real-life testing on a bike ride, it became apparent that the smartphone retrieved its location at longer intervals, which meant the route tracking wasn't always accurate. It is still, however, perfectly adequate for navigation purposes.

GNSS test trip: Lake circumnavigation
GNSS test trip: Lake circumnavigation
GNSS test trip: Urban area
GNSS test trip: Urban area
GNSS test trip: Summary
GNSS test trip: Summary

Telephone functions and voice quality

The Apple iPhone Air supports dual eSIM, but no longer has a physical SIM card. Features such as VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling are still available.

Call quality is good when the device is held to the ear, but noise cancellation is only moderately effective.

Cameras - The iPhone Air only offers two lenses

A selfie with the iPhone Air
A selfie with the iPhone Air

The iPhone Air shares the new Center Stage camera seen in the other 2025 models and delivers good results for photos and videos (up to 4K @ 60fps).

The rear of the handset only had room for one camera. Anyone expecting the same camera as the iPhone 17 Pro will be disappointed, since Apple has decided to integrate the slightly less powerful one housed in the iPhone 17. Although we could be accused of nitpicking, it's certainly justified given the price range. The iPhone takes good photos, but it reveals its shortcomings in dynamic range and depth of field. The zooming feature functions well up to 2x magnification, but beyond that, the images quickly become pixelated. Videos are best recorded in Ultra HD at 60fps with Dolby Vision.

Unlike the 17 Pro, slow-motion recording is limited to Full HD at 240fps, the cinematic video mode is completely absent, and ProRAW and ProRes video are also missing on the Air. The Fusion camera function can take advantage of 26, 28, and 35 mm lenses. 

Image comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main cameraMain camera5x zoomLow light
orginal image
click to load images
ColorChecker
2.1 ∆E
3.2 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
4 ∆E
2.4 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
5.4 ∆E
4.6 ∆E
2.6 ∆E
2.8 ∆E
4.5 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
2.5 ∆E
7.7 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
2.2 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
1.4 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple iPhone Air: 3.56 ∆E min: 1.4 - max: 7.72 ∆E
ColorChecker
22.8 ∆E
28.8 ∆E
23.6 ∆E
22.6 ∆E
25.3 ∆E
27.6 ∆E
30.4 ∆E
19.2 ∆E
21.5 ∆E
20.5 ∆E
24.7 ∆E
32.6 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
24.6 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
21.3 ∆E
22.2 ∆E
25 ∆E
22.4 ∆E
22.5 ∆E
25 ∆E
24.6 ∆E
22.2 ∆E
13.9 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple iPhone Air: 23.29 ∆E min: 13.91 - max: 32.56 ∆E

Accessories and warranty - Care+ with Pro prices

The iPhone Air only comes with a USB-C cable (on both ends).

The warranty in Germany is 12 months, which does not affect the retailer's warranty. AppleCare+ is an insurance package whose prices vary depending on the coverage. A one-time fee of $139.99 is payable for one year, or a monthly payment of $13.99 is also possible.

Input devices and operation - iPhone Air and Face ID

When it comes to biometric security, the iPhone Air relies on 3D facial recognition via Face ID, which impressed us with its high-level security and success rate, as well as fast unlocking. The Taptic Engine provides tactile feedback and delivers precise and pleasantly direct feedback.

The capacitive touchscreen responds quickly and accurately to inputs. Additionally, touch-based input is available on the rear of the handset, but this must first be activated in the settings. The functionality of the action button and the camera button is identical to that seen in iPhones.

Display - A bright new mid-size OLED panel

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

Technically, the iPhone Air's display is similar to the 17 Pro, but at 6.5 inches (16.51 cm), it's slightly larger. It possesses the same level of brightness and, on a reduced white area (APL18), it managed to reach a very bright 3,085 cd/m² in our tests.

The PWM frequency hits a maximum of 480 Hz, and optional pulse smoothing is also included. Similar to the 17 Pro, however, its effect is limited to a flatter amplitude at low brightness. This means individuals sensitive to such issues should still expect to experience some discomfort.

1067
cd/m²		1052
cd/m²		1055
cd/m²
1071
cd/m²		1060
cd/m²		1063
cd/m²
1074
cd/m²		1069
cd/m²		1066
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 1074 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 1064.1 cd/m² Minimum: 1.17 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 1060 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 1.3 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.78}
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 1.9 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø5}
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.2
CCT: 6519 K
Apple iPhone Air
OLED, 2736x1260, 6.5"		Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 6.7"		Apple iPhone 17 Pro
OLED, 2622x1206, 6.3"		Motorola Edge 60 Pro
P-OLED, 2712x1220, 6.7"
Screen
-44%
-5%
12%
Brightness middle (cd/m²)
1060
1399
32%
1059
0%
1099
4%
Brightness (cd/m²)
1064
1371
29%
1060
0%
1073
1%
Brightness Distribution (%)
98
94
-4%
99
1%
91
-7%
Black Level * (cd/m²)
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.3
3.9
-200%
1.3
-0%
1.25
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3
6.3
-110%
3.6
-20%
1.68
44%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.9
2.1
-11%
2.1
-11%
1.4
26%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.01 109%
2.2 100%
2.031 108%
CCT
6519 100%
6506 100%
6542 99%
6403 102%

* ... smaller is better

Display: APL18 Peak Brightness | HDR Peak Brightness
Display / APL18 Peak Brightness
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
3085 cd/m²
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
3044 cd/m² -1%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
2714 cd/m² -12%
Display / HDR Peak Brightness
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
3027 cd/m²
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
2997 cd/m² -1%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
2875 cd/m² -5%

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 240 Hz
Amplitude: 16.09 %
Secondary Frequency: 480 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 240 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8121 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

Minimum display brightness
min.
25 % display brightness
25 %
50 % display brightness
50 %
75 % display brightness
75 %
Maximum manual display brightness
100 %

A series of measurements with a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness appears flat, but this is due to the scaling. The enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness can be seen in the info box.)

As the usual analysis using CalMAN reveals, iPhone Air's panel is well-calibrated out of the box with no oversaturated or undersaturated colors.

Gray scales (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Gray scales (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (True Tone: off, target color space: sRGB)

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
1.19 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 0.563 ms rise
↘ 0.6245 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 5 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.2 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
1.16 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 0.5315 ms rise
↘ 0.624 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (31.6 ms).

Outdoors, the iPhone Air remains very legible, provided the ambient light sensor is allowed to control the brightness. Without it, the panel reaches a maximum brightness of 851 cd/m².

The viewing angle stability is excellent, and the brightness only decreases slightly at wide viewing angles.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - The iPhone Air has a weaker GPU

Nominally, the Air uses the Apple A19 Pro, which is the same SoC found in the Pro models. The slightly lower Geekbench score is likely due to thermal reduction, which kicks in relatively early. This was even more noticeable in AnTuTu, where the Air finished behind the iPhone 17 with its less powerful A19 chipset. 

In everyday situations, however, this will be barely noticeable, and the system will run smoothly.

Geekbench 6.5 | Antutu v10 | AImark | Geekbench AI
Geekbench 6.5
Single-Core
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (3785 - 3888, n=4)
3840 Points +1%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
3803 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
3785 Points
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Adreno 830, 12288
3105 Points -18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (196 - 3883, n=212, last 2 years)
1754 Points -54%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 8350, Mali-G615 MP6, 12288
1457 Points -62%
Multi-Core
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
10097 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Adreno 830, 12288
9941 Points +5%
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (9509 - 10105, n=4)
9932 Points +4%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
9509 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (830 - 11634, n=212, last 2 years)
5119 Points -46%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 8350, Mali-G615 MP6, 12288
4616 Points -51%
Antutu v10 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
2806319 Points +37%
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (2053750 - 2806319, n=3)
2496587 Points +22%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Adreno 830, 12288
2126237 Points +4%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
2053750 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (142748 - 3269237, n=152, last 2 years)
1487579 Points -28%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 8350, Mali-G615 MP6, 12288
1409057 Points -31%
AImark - Score v3.x
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
37423 Points +5%
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (35571 - 37611, n=3)
36868 Points +4%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
35571 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (82 - 307528, n=126, last 2 years)
27034 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Adreno 830, 12288
1922 Points -95%
Geekbench AI
Single Precision NPU 1.5
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
5210 Points
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (5143 - 5210, n=3)
5169 Points -1%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
5143 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (80 - 5210, n=55, last 2 years)
823 Points -84%
Half Precision NPU 1.5
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
35890 Points +2%
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (35152 - 36297, n=3)
35780 Points +2%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
35152 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (80 - 36297, n=55, last 2 years)
3682 Points -90%
Quantized NPU 1.5
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, 12288
49889 Points +4%
Average Apple A19 Pro
  (48126 - 49889, n=3)
48948 Points +2%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro, A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, 12288
48126 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (133 - 49889, n=55, last 2 years)
5292 Points -89%

The iPhone Air's A19 Pro GPU only uses five cores instead of the six used in the iPhone 17 Pro. Consequently, the performance is also poorer.

3DMark: Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | Wild Life Extreme | Wild Life Unlimited Score | Solar Bay Score | Solar Bay Unlimited Score | Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | Steel Nomad Light Score
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6955 Points +46%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
5928 Points +24%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
4762 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3060 Points -36%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6755 Points +37%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
6001 Points +21%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
4945 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3110 Points -37%
3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
27493 Points +17%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
26286 Points +12%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
23402 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
10786 Points -54%
3DMark / Solar Bay Score
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
12100 Points +20%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
11442 Points +13%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
10088 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
5058 Points -50%
3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
12871 Points +16%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
12194 Points +10%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
11065 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
4946 Points -55%
3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
2630 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
2497 Points +41%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
1772 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
1218 Points -31%
3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
2698 Points +32%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
2595 Points +27%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
2051 Points
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
1222 Points -40%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
754 fps +32%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
714 fps +25%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
573 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
460 fps -20%
GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
427 fps +33%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
415 fps +29%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
321 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
226 fps -30%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
117 fps +95%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
303 fps +30%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
286 fps +23%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
233 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
181 fps -22%
GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
79 fps +32%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
210 fps +28%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
180 fps +10%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
164 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
106 fps -35%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
65 fps +8%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
110 fps +69%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
87 fps +34%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
65 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
53 fps -18%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
102 fps +70%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
276 fps +42%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
253 fps +30%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
195 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
141 fps -28%
GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
50 fps +79%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
37 fps +32%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
28 fps
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
24 fps -14%
Jetstream 2 | Speedometer 2.0 | Speedometer 3 | WebXPRT 4 | Octane V2 | Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total Score
Average Apple A19 Pro (327 - 358, n=3)
338 Points +4%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
329.095 Points +1%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
326.566 Points
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
298.774 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (23.8 - 387, n=153, last 2 years)
155.7 Points -52%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro (Chrome 137.0.7151.115)
111.429 Points -66%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result 2.0
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
621 runs/min +4%
Average Apple A19 Pro (598 - 643, n=3)
621 runs/min +4%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
598 runs/min
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
585 runs/min -2%
Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 643, n=128, last 2 years)
227 runs/min -62%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro (Chrome 137.0.7151.115)
158 runs/min -74%
Speedometer 3 - Score 3.0
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
41.7 runs/min +2%
Average Apple A19 Pro (40.7 - 42.8, n=3)
41.7 runs/min +2%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
40.7 runs/min
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
31.6 runs/min -22%
Average of class Smartphone (1.03 - 42.8, n=125, last 2 years)
14.5 runs/min -64%
WebXPRT 4 - Overall
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
302 Points +2%
Average Apple A19 Pro (297 - 306, n=3)
302 Points +2%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
297 Points
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
239 Points -20%
Average of class Smartphone (27 - 306, n=147, last 2 years)
147.3 Points -50%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro (Chrome 137.0.7151.115)
115 Points -61%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
119218 Points +3%
Average Apple A19 Pro (115463 - 121337, n=3)
118673 Points +3%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
115463 Points
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
96997 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 121337, n=200, last 2 years)
49133 Points -57%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro (Chrome 137.0.7151.115)
38258 Points -67%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Average of class Smartphone (257 - 28190, n=155, last 2 years)
1149 ms * -311%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro (Chrome 137.0.7151.115)
1087.5 ms * -289%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Chrome 137.0.7151.72)
377.3 ms * -35%
Apple iPhone Air (Safari Mobile 26.0)
279.8 ms *
Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Safari Mobile 26.0)
270.4 ms * +3%
Average Apple A19 Pro (257 - 280, n=3)
269 ms * +4%

* ... smaller is better

Emissions - The iPhone is home to a mono speaker

Temperature

The iPhone Air's surface temperatures remained safe even under load, but the SoC throttled significantly in some stress tests.

Max. Load
 40.8 °C
105 F		38.4 °C
101 F		32.3 °C
90 F		 
 41.5 °C
107 F		35.7 °C
96 F		31.9 °C
89 F		 
 41.4 °C
107 F		36.5 °C
98 F		32.4 °C
90 F		 
Maximum: 41.5 °C = 107 F
Average: 36.8 °C = 98 F
34 °C
93 F		38.1 °C
101 F		43.6 °C
110 F
32 °C
90 F		36.7 °C
98 F		43.5 °C
110 F
31 °C
88 F		33.9 °C
93 F		37.7 °C
100 F
Maximum: 43.6 °C = 110 F
Average: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.8 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 32.9 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.5 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35.2 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 247 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.6 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 34 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.9 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Stress Tests

3DMark
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
99.8 %
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
99.7 % 0%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
46.3 % -54%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
42.2 % -58%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
73.5 % +11%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
66.1 %
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
45.4 % -31%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
42.1 % -36%
Solar Bay Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
81.2 %
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
76.8 % -5%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
49.2 % -39%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
41.3 % -49%
Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
65.8 % +5%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
62.6 %
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
49.6 % -21%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Mali-G615 MP6, Dimensity 8350, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
41.6 % -34%
Solar Bay Extreme Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
A19 Pro 6-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
70.3 % +13%
Apple iPhone Air
A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe
62.2 %
0102030405060708090100110120130Tooltip
Apple iPhone Air A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test: Ø20.6 (19.8-29.9)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.4.1: Ø21.2 (17.6-38.8)
Apple iPhone Air A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø59.9 (59.8-60)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø77.2 (63.3-136.8)
Apple iPhone Air A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe; Solar Bay Stress Test Stability: Ø24 (23.3-28.7)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Solar Bay Stress Test Stability; 1.0.11.1: Ø22 (18.1-36.8)
Apple iPhone Air A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe; Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability: Ø11.3 (10.2-16.2)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Adreno 830, SD 8 Elite f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability; 1.1.1.3: Ø10.4 (8.86-17.9)
Apple iPhone Air A19 Pro 5-Core GPU, A19 Pro, Apple 512GB NVMe; Solar Bay Extreme Stress Test Stability: Ø8.38 (8-12.9)

Speakers

The iPhone Air has only one speaker in its earpiece, and it isn't particularly loud. The sound quality is decent, but it leans very heavily on the treble.

Similar to other iPhones, the Air lacks a high-resolution codec for Bluetooth, and Auracast is also absent. The best sound quality can be achieved via a wired connection using USB-C.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.941.22535.428.33127.522.24028.424.35029.833.36323.222.18019.524.810019.434.912520.146.516017.653.820018.452.225015.552.231512.753.440011.455.450012.963.263011.762.180011.367.8100012.268.2125013.169.6160015.170.3200013.175.125001373.5315013.373.5400013.375.5500013.372.3630013.672.3800013.673.91000013.674.11250013.763.5160001458.8SPL25.484.3N0.758.8median 13.3median 67.8Delta1.19.540.840.330.134.226.73227.832.735.934.828.329.428.833.327.335.517.239.816.352.214.753.312.856.813.257.812.658.612.368.212.272.112.174.212.378.412.379.612.178.61278.612.280.21380.513.18213.180.313.575.513.472.513.468.513.561.613.357.72590.50.681.8median 13.1median 72.51.711.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple iPhone AirSamsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple iPhone Air audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 8% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 35%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 28% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.3% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 21% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 70% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 35%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 42% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%

Battery runtime - A slender 3,149 mAh

Power consumption

In tests, the iPhone Air's power consumption proved to be unremarkable. Charging at a maximum of 20 watts, a full charge takes approximately one and a half hours (50%: 29 minutes).

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.13 / 0.24 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.52 / 1.95 / 1.98 Watt
Load midlight 7.29 / 16.24 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Apple iPhone Air
3149 mAh		Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
3900 mAh		Apple iPhone 17 Pro
3988 mAh		Motorola Edge 60 Pro
6000 mAh		Average Apple A19 Pro
 		Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-7%
-15%
-36%
2%
3%
Idle Minimum * (Watt)
0.52
0.59
-13%
0.56
-8%
1.3
-150%
0.56 ?(0.52 - 0.6, n=3)
-8%
0.848 ?(0.4 - 1.65, n=164, last 2 years)
-63%
Idle Average * (Watt)
1.95
1.12
43%
1.78
9%
1.9
3%
1.677 ?(1.3 - 1.95, n=3)
14%
1.435 ?(0.6 - 4.36, n=164, last 2 years)
26%
Idle Maximum * (Watt)
1.98
1.19
40%
1.89
5%
2.4
-21%
1.823 ?(1.6 - 1.98, n=3)
8%
1.621 ?(0.77 - 4.46, n=164, last 2 years)
18%
Load Average * (Watt)
7.29
14.72
-102%
12.36
-70%
8.6
-18%
7.92 ?(4.1 - 12.4, n=3)
-9%
6.99 ?(2.3 - 16.5, n=141, last 2 years)
4%
Load Maximum * (Watt)
16.24
16.57
-2%
17.69
-9%
14.9
8%
15.1 ?(11.5 - 17.7, n=3)
7%
11.3 ?(3.53 - 22, n=141, last 2 years)
30%

* ... smaller is better

Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

012345678910111213141516Tooltip
Apple iPhone Air Apple A19 Pro; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø4.03 (0.792-16.2)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø7.74 (0.782-16.5)
Apple iPhone Air Apple A19 Pro; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.722 (0.695-0.772)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.79 (0.736-1.08)

Power consumption: GFXbench (150 cd/m²)

012345678910111213141516Tooltip
Apple iPhone Air Apple A19 Pro; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø9.48 (4.72-15.2)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø6.79 (0.1391-16.5)
Apple iPhone Air Apple A19 Pro; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.722 (0.695-0.772)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.79 (0.736-1.08)

Battery life

Despite its very small battery, the iPhone Air keeps going for a surprisingly long time, which should be enough for a whole day of moderate use. If that's not the case, you shouldn't stray too far from the nearest power source. 

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Safari Mobile 26.0.1)
15h 25min
Battery runtime - WiFi v1.3
Apple iPhone Air
3149 mAh
15.4 h
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
3900 mAh
17.9 h
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
3988 mAh
24.2 h
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
6000 mAh
22.4 h

Notebookcheck overall rating

Review: Apple iPhone Air
Review: Apple iPhone Air

The iPhone Air presents itself as a dream slim design, complete with a titanium frame, but behind the chic facade hides sluggish USB 2.0, an average single camera and a battery that runs out of steam by midday for power users.

Apple iPhone Air - 10/30/2025 v8
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
92%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
55 / 69 → 79%
Weight
92%
Battery
90%
Display
92%
Games Performance
40 / 55 → 72%
Application Performance
94 / 85 → 100%
AI Performance
95%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
75 / 90 → 83%
Camera
81%
Average
83%
87%
Smartphone - Weighted Average
CO2 Emissions
89.5%
Materials
67.5%
Packaging
95%
Power Use
95.3%
Repairability
76%
Software Updates
83.5%
Recycle Logo Total Sustainability Score: 84.5%

Possible alternatives compared

Image
Model / Review
Price
Weight
Drive
Display
1.
86.8%
Apple iPhone Air
Apple iPhone Air
Apple A19 Pro ⎘
Apple A19 Pro 5-Core GPU ⎘
12 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD		Amazon:
1. $25.99
Apple iPhone Air Case with M...
2. $1,189.00
iPhone Air Sky Blue 256GB
3. $25.99
Apple iPhone Air Case with M...
List Price: 1449€		165 gApple 512GB NVMe6.50"
2736x1260
463 PPI
OLED
2.
88.3%
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy ⎘
Qualcomm Adreno 830 ⎘
12 GB Memory, 256 GB 		Amazon:
1. $7.99
firtstnow 3 Pack Glass Scree...
2. $809.99
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Edge Phon...
3. $13.59
AACL 3-Pack for Samsung Gala...
List Price: 1249€		163 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.70"
3120x1440
395 PPI
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
3.
89.9%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple A19 Pro ⎘
Apple A19 Pro 6-Core GPU ⎘
12 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD		Amazon:
1. $25.99
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Silicone...
2. $8.98
Ailun 3 Pack Screen Protecto...
3. $25.99
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Clear Ca...
List Price: 1549€		206 gApple 512GB NVMe6.30"
2622x1206
458 PPI
OLED
4.
81.5%
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
Motorola Edge 60 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 8350 ⎘
ARM Mali-G615 MP6 ⎘
12 GB Memory, 512 GB 		Amazon:
1. $11.99
Ibywind For Motorola Edge 60...
2. $8.88
LXEEOLX [2 Pack Hydrogel Scr...
3. $6.98
Natbok 2 Pack 3D Compatible ...
List Price: 600 Euro		186 g512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.67"
2712x1220
446 PPI
P-OLED

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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was freely purchased by the author at his/her own expense. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Apple iPhone Air review – The thinnest smartphone packs a ton of power
Daniel Schmidt, 2025-10-31 (Update: 2025-11- 1)